Expanding multiparameter analyses of single cells and small particles with a 5-laser spectrally enabled flow cytometer

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Investments in fundamental "discovery" science as it relates to our immune system have underpinned both the twentieth century "age of vaccines" and the ongoing twenty-first century revolution in the treatment of diseases such as cancer, arthritis and eczema, and are now paving the way for more effective vaccines and for new treatments for inflammatory bowel disease and type 1 diabetes. Advances in vaccine technology were essential in bringing the Covid pandemic to its end and novel "immunotherapies" are increasing life expectancy and quality of life for millions of people with chronic life-limiting diseases, including cancers which are inoperable or resistant to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Although investment in fundamental research, such as that described in this proposal, can take time to benefit society, understanding the cellular and molecular processes that comprise a healthy and functional immune system is essential if we are to continue to develop new drugs and treatments, control the spread of infectious diseases and remain healthy and productive throughout our ever-longer lives. In order to study these processes in detail, researchers need to be able to extract as much information as possible from each biological sample they generate. The more detailed the information we can get, the better we will understand these processes. This, in turn, will allow us to develop more effective strategies (better therapeutic outcomes with fewer side effects, for a larger proportion of those affected) to enhance and sustain health during development, ageing and infection. We are proposing to buy a new machine that will enable us to measure up to 50 different pieces of information per sample. By analysing multiple samples in parallel, we can obtain hundreds and thousands of pieces of information from a single person, animal or experiment. These samples are a precious resource. Maximising the amount of information we get from each one not only minimises the size and number of samples we need to take (which saves money and is more ethical) but, crucially, exponentially increases our levels of understanding.